At midday on Monday, Stefanos Kasselakis, a shipping executive and former Goldman Sachs trader, walked through the corridors of the Greek parliament to be crowned head of Syriza, the country’s once radical leftwing party.
No one could have seemed more out of keeping with a political force so steeped in the turbulence of Greece’s blood-soaked postwar history. But Kasselakis, a seemingly permanent smile on his lips, has defied all odds. After lighting up the skies of the country’s staid political scene with a campaign high on the vigour of social media, the 35-year-old Greek American has not only emerged as the winner of the two-round race to lead Syriza – gaining 56.69 % of the vote – but has proved he is far more than a shooting star.
